


LOCKDOWN

by CBWriter24



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:40:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24912514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CBWriter24/pseuds/CBWriter24
Summary: The story is from Monty's POV. Monty and Winston are stuck together during the lockdown drill.
Relationships: Montgomery de la Cruz/Winston Williams
Comments: 3
Kudos: 93





	LOCKDOWN

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place at the very beginning of Senior Year. In this fanfic, Winston transferred to Liberty the first day of Senior Year.

“This is Principal Bolan,” said a voice on the intercom. “There’s a Code Red, and you need to find a locked classroom or other shelter, and stay there till I say otherwise.”

I rushed down the hallway, then approached the janitor’s closet. Hopefully, nobody else took the janitor’s closet for shelter. I mean, I had a chance of having the janitor’s closet to myself since the A Wing wasn’t crowded during Seventh Period. 

I opened the door, then locked it behind me. The janitor’s closet was half the size of a typical college freshman dorm. I only knew that fact from the movies and television shows I’d seen. Not like I actually toured colleges. I had no way of affording college. 

Whimpering echoed. I tilted my head. A boy sat in front of me on the floor. More specifically, Winston Williams. The kid I beat up almost three months ago at the party. My stomach twisted in ten different directions. 

Fuck. Apparently, I’d never get over the guilt about punching Winston. It wasn’t like I wanted to hurt him. If anything, I wanted the opposite. Winston was just so cute with his pink lips and hazel eyes. 

But no. I’d never be able to have Winston. And not because of punching him. My fucking piece of shit father would never let me be who I wanted to be. And said fact fucking sucked. Especially since nobody at Liberty was homophobic.

Winston stood, then hung in his head in shame. I bit my lip. Fuck. Winston must’ve been so scared of me if he couldn’t look me in the eye. So, yeah. I’d have to make this situation right somehow. And I’d have to try harder than saying, “hello” in the hallway like I had several times last week. I thought I was being welcoming by saying hi during the first week of Senior Year—especially since he transferred from Hillcrest to Liberty. But no. He hadn’t said anything when I said, “hello.”

“I’ll go find somewhere else to be.” His gaze remained averted. “I wouldn’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”

My Adam’s Apple throbbed. “Please stay.”

Winston huffed. “Why? Wanna beat the shit out of me again? No thanks.”

“I promise I ain’t gonna do anything. Besides, it isn’t safe to be out there in the halls. What if there’s an actual shooter?” 

“Fine.” Winston sat on the ground.

I joined him on the floor. 

I elbowed him. “How are you liking Liberty so far?”

Winston shrugged, yet didn’t speak. Fuck. It was a shame he was afraid of me. So, yeah. I’d have to do something nice. Like showing Winston I cared. I wouldn’t bully him into accepting my apology. I just wanted him to know I was sorry. Our hookup at the party was the greatest few minutes of my life. For a fleeting moment, Winston made me feel safe.

I coughed, clearing the nervousness from my throat. “I owe you an apology. I’m sorry about last summer. I had a lot of shit going on, and you didn’t deserve for me to take my anger out on you. You don’t have to forgive me. Just wanted to let you know I’m sorry. Truthfully, I wished I agree to hang again when you asked.”

He buried his head in his lap. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing that hasn’t happened to me a hundred times before?”

My heart fluttered. I didn’t know what the fuck Winston was getting at, yet it sounded bad. I hated to think anyone would pick on Winston. That wasn’t fair, considering how Winston seemed like a lover and not a fighter. He probably didn’t have a mean bone in his body. 

“To answer your question, Liberty is nice enough,” Winston said. “Although it’s not like I have any friends. That’s what happens when you’re a loner/loser/outcast/nerd.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that.” I almost rubbed his back, yet I stopped myself. Didn’t wanna do anything that’d make Winston feel uncomfortable. Not when we were finally talking.

Sweat dripped down Winston’s head, then his torso shook. His breathing became louder and faster. 

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“I’m having a panic attack,” Winston stammered. “I’m claustrophobic, and wouldn’t normally hide in a janitor’s closet. But it was the first place I could fine.”

“Shit.”

“It’s fine,” Winston said, stuttering louder this time.

“How can I help?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Winston’s body continued shaking, including his jaw.

Fuck. I had to do something. There was no way this beautiful boy that I was infatuated with was gonna go through this panic attack by himself. Perhaps having him focus on something else would help.

I held out my arm. “You can focus on this.”

“Thanks,” he forced out.

“And don’t worry about gripping my hand too tightly. I’m an athlete, and can take it.”

Winston let out a light chuckle. “Good to know.”

Fuck. He had such a beautiful laugh. I had to make him laugh more. I just had to.

I winked. “What made you transfer to Liberty?”

“I was expelled from Hillcrest for cheating on the SAT.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, my jaw lowered. I would’ve never guessed a kid like Winston needed to cheat on the SAT.

“I’m sure you think I’m a terrible person for not taking the SAT myself,” Winston continued. “And that’s fine. My parents think the same. In fact, they disowned me. Not that it matters, or anything. I’m lucky if I see them two or three times a month.”

I snickered. “You aren’t a bad guy. You just made a mistake, and I’m sure you would do it differently if you got a redo.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled.

He let go of my hand. 

“What the fuck was that for?” I asked.

“I’m all good—my panic attack went away. Thanks for letting me squeeze your hand.”

Relief flooded my body, and I couldn’t lie to myself. Not this time. Helping Winston deal with his panic attack felt great. And I wanted more moments like that. I didn’t wanna be this arrogant, asshole, bully, jock who hid behind cruelty, denying how I was a scared person who just wanted to be loved.

I eyed Winston. “Glad I could help.”

“Where’s your backpack?” he asked. 

“In my locker—I had a meeting with my Football coach. Probably wanted to chat with me about how my grades needed to improve. What about you? Why no backpack?”

Winston made eye contact. Fuck. Maybe we were making progress if he could stand the sight of me. “My backpack is in my locker too. Anyway, I could help you if you wanted. I had a 4.0 GPA last year at Hillcrest.”

“Then why’d you cheat on the SAT?” I asked.

Winston bit his lip, and remained silent.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to ask a nosey question.”

“It’s fine. I just needed to do whatever I could to get into Princeton. But that’s ruined now.” Tears dripped down his face. “But my offer still stands. I’d be happy to tutor you—if you’re comfortable with that.”

My heart almost skipped a beat. Winston Williams was a fucking great guy. He had no reason to be nice to me, yet here he was, offering to tutor me. And I couldn’t deny how the offer tempted me. Having Winston help me with my school work would be a great way to spend time together.  
I just needed to know every fucking detail about his life.

“Sure,” I said. 

He cracked a small smile. “Great.”

Fuck. Winston’s grin accentuated his beautiful, pink lips. And I wanted nothing more than to kiss him. So, that was what I did. Except this kiss was different than the one at the party. It was slower and less intense. And I also waited longer before shoving my tongue in his mouth and placing my hands on his cheeks. 

We pulled back after another beat.

“Sorry if that crossed a line,” I said.

Yeah. I couldn’t seem too forward with Winston. Plus, I wasn’t fucking gay. Or maybe I was fucking gay and I just wasn’t ready to admit it to anyone.

Winston frowned. “Don’t worry about it. You don’t deserve to feel uncomfortable, and I’m sorry if I’m a reminder of things you aren’t ready to deal with. And that’s fine. I promise I’ll never bother you again once this lockdown drill is over.”

“Stop.”

“Excuse me?”

“You keep focusing on me, which is fucking adorable. But what do you want? Don’t you care about pursuing your happiness?”

His goofy grin returned. “Just wanna be less lonely. I’m tired of feeling like I could die tomorrow, and nobody would care.”

“Don’t say that, Winnie.”  
He gave me a dirty look.

“It’s a nickname I invented on the spot. Go with it.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

“You wouldn’t hurt yourself, would you?” I asked.

“Nah. Not like my parents would plan a funeral or show up. Nobody would go to my funeral.”

“I would.” I squeezed Winston’s hand. Yeah. I held another guy’s hand without caring about seeming gay. Winston needed to know he wasn’t alone.

“This is Principal Bolan,” said a voice on the intercom. “This concludes the lockdown—it was only a drill. Anyway, there’s less than fifteen minutes till eighth period is over, so you can stay where you are till the last bell rings.”

Fuck. The lockdown went fast. I couldn’t believe school was almost done for the day.

We sat in silence until the last bell rang. I stood, then helped Winston up. He even smiled when taking my hand. Maybe, just maybe, we made real progress. I could hope, at least. I’d hate for Winston to go back to being stranger.

Winston clenched his jaw. “I owe you an apology too.”

I raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For ignoring you in the hallway when you said, ‘hi’ to me several times last week,” Winston said. “You didn’t deserve the silent treatment.”

“It’s okay. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hated me.”

Winston chuckled louder. “I don’t hate you. If anything, the opposite. I was smitten with you the first moment I saw you at the party.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling filled my insides. Fuck. I couldn’t believe someone might’ve cared about me. And I could kick myself. I should’ve said yes when Winston asked me to hang. But I’d been such an idiot.

My stomach grumbled, then I got an idea.

“Would you wanna grab a bite to eat with me?” I asked. “I was planning on going to my favorite diner after school—I didn’t have time to eat lunch today. Nothing like a burger, fries, and a milkshake.”

“What about football practice?”

“I don’t have that today.”

“I wouldn’t want you to get uncomfortable. You know. Have people think you’re gay.”

“Fuck what everyone else thinks,” I said.

His eyes lit up. “Really?”

Fuck. His eyes were so fucking beautiful, because I’d never be able to stop staring at them. I just had to have Winston.

“What do you say?” I asked.

“Truthfully, I’m hungry too. I also skipped lunch today.”

“Great.”

I unlocked the door before we exited the janitor’s closet. 

I grabbed Winston’s hand, and held it while strutting down the hallway with him. I’d have to deal with my coming out at some point. Yet none of that mattered. For the moment, at least. I was about to have a date with Winston. And that was something nobody could take from me. Not even my fucking father.


End file.
